PRESS RELEASE : Mayor partners with Black Cultural Archives to inspire future leaders [October 2022]

• Around 100 young Londoners from all backgrounds will be invited to attend masterclasses to help develop their futures
• Black Leaders from the ‘40 X 40: Black Cultural Archives Chair’s Awards’ will share their experiences to inspire others to pursue their dreams
• Partnership is announced as part of the Mayor’s celebration of Black History Month and the Black Cultural Archives’ Black Futures Season

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced that around 100 young Londoners are to benefit from masterclasses to help develop their futures, thanks to a new partnership with the Black Cultural Archives.

City Hall and the Black Cultural Archives are working together to inspire young Londoners from all backgrounds with classes designed to develop their skills and resilience and help them to map out a plan to achieve their dreams

The classes will be led by young Black leaders from the ‘40 X 40: Black Cultural Archives Chair’s Awards’ – a national initiative developed by the Black Cultural Archives, University College London and Black Britain and Beyond, to award 40 rising leaders from across the country.

The leaders will share their knowledge and experience across a range of industries with local young people, aged between 16-24, who will be invited by charitable and voluntary sector organisations and Mayoral programmes that support them.

The classes are designed to encourage and inspire the young people to pursue their ambition and realise their potential, and form part of the Mayor’s work to provide positive opportunities for young people, particularly those who face inequality and the biggest challenges.

To mark Black History Month, the Mayor has exhibited a photographic portrait exhibition of the London winners of the 40 X 40 awards winners in City Hall. Last week, Sadiq held a reception to mark the 35th anniversary of Black History Month and emphasise the theme ‘Time for change: Action not words’. His Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm has also funded a number of Black history walks and talks across the capital to help Londoners learn more about our history.

The classes form part of the Black Cultural Archives ‘Black Futures: Our Time is Now’ season which is designed to recognise the importance of understanding Black history in order to ensure continued momentum towards racial justice and a better future for all.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m delighted that these inspiring young Black leaders will be working with young people from across the capital to build their skills and confidence, and set them on a path for success. We need to celebrate the achievements of Black Londoners throughout the year not just in Black History Month, and with these masterclasses we will not only recognise these talented leaders but encourage young people to follow in their footsteps. It’s another example of how we’re working to build a fairer, better and more equal London for everyone.”

Dr Yvonne Thompson CBE, BCA Chair, said: “At Black Cultural Archives we constantly strive towards achieving and sharing excellence throughout our communities as we have done for the past 40 years, and look forward to doing so for the next 40 and beyond. BCA Chair’s 40×40 Future Leaders Campaign does just that by recognising our past, and how to make our future better for it. It’s my belief that  we all need to learn more, be more and do more to cultivate a culture of tolerance  for all across London, and that is what the BCA Future Leaders Masterclasses are all about. We are honoured to have the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s ongoing support to ensure that happens not just for Black History Month but on an ongoing basis.”